New Judge Assigned to YSL RICO Trial Recuses Herself After Two Days
Update (July 18):
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker was assigned to handle the racketeering and gang case against Young Thug and members of his YSL collective, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. As a former Fulton County prosecutor, Judge Whitaker also previously worked at the state Attorney General’s Office. She has been a judge in Fulton County since 2017, and as reported by local Atlanta news outlet 11Alive, had previously recused herself in 2021 from a murder case. That case involved six deputies accused of killing a man while he was in jail custody.
Original Story (July 17):
The judge newly assigned to the YSL RICO trial has recused herself after two days on the case.
New Judge Recuses Herself
On Wednesday (July 17), Judge Shukura Ingram filed a motion in Fulton County Superior Court recusing herself from presiding over the trial. In the motion, she explained having a prior affiliation through court to one of the former codefendants on the case.
"On or about June 1, 2023, Christian Eppinger (one of 18 defendants) was severed from the ongoing YSL RICO trial on the criminal action that was recently transferred to this Court by random assignment. Although there is no severance order in the record, the Court was apprised of the circumstances that directly led to Eppinger's severance," the court document reads. "More specifically, the deputy assigned to and responsible for the courtroom and personal security of the undersigned for nearly six months, was arrested."
It continues: "The said deputy, who was still assigned to this Court at the time of her arrest, is accused of (1) colluding with Defendant Eppinger (during the current trial) to commit a felony and (2) endangering the safety of citizens within the Fulton County courthouse.' Because this Court's former assigned deputy could be called as a witness in any future proceedings in this case, the Court may be called upon to assess this deputy's credibility, or rule on matters related to her criminal prosecution. This may undermine the public's confidence in the impartiality of the proceedings."
Read More: Here Are 26 Bizarre Moments in the YSL Trial, the Wildest Trial in Hip-Hop History
Two Judges Recused in YSL RICO Case
Judge Ingram replaced Judge Ural Glanville who was removed from the trial on Monday (July 15). Glanville, who served on the case since the beginning, ran afoul of Young Thug's defense team after he conducted a controversial ex parte meeting with key prosecution witness Kenneth "Lil Woody" Copeland and the prosecution without the defense present.
After Young Thug's attorney Brian Steel called out the judge for the meeting in open court, Glanville sentenced Steel to 20 days in jail when the attorney defiantly refused to divulge how he found out about the meeting. Glanville's ruling was appealed and later stayed by the Georiga Supreme Court. The incident caused the legal teams for Young Thug and codefendant Deamonte Kendrick to successfully file motions to have Glanville replaced.
Judge Paige Reese Whitaker has been assigned to take over the YSL RICO trial, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
XXL has reached out to the Fulton County Superior Court and Young Thug's attorney for comment.
